The New York State Museum is a center of art, science, and history dedicated to exploring the human and natural history of the state. Established in 1836, it is the oldest and largest state museum in the country. From its beginning, the Museum has been home to some of the nation’s leading scientists, including the founders of American paleontology, ethnology, botany and mycology. Its collections rank among the finest in many fields and total more than 16 million scientific specimens and one million cultural objects.